For manual planting of plants such as trees, a tube-shaped tool is commonly used, first to make a planting hole in the ground, then to locate a tree plant in the hole, after which the tube is lifted up without disturbing the plant. Planting tubes are often constructed with a pointed lower end which can be opened like the beak of a bird. The pointed beak is closed when the hole in the ground is initially made, and opened when the plant is dropped through the tube and when the tube is thereafter lifted.
Previously known manually actuable planting tubes have certain disadvantages, which on one hand make them inefficient in use, and on the other hand subject some parts of the planting tube to unnecessary strain. The present invention is an improved planting tool for use in a similar manner to previous tools, but with improved performance in those respects.